The first year of college is known for many things. Perhaps the most talked about is the freshman fifteen. The weight-gain some students experience is the product of life transition.
As students all over the country leave home and relocate or just spend less time in their paternal domicile, nutrition sometimes falls by the wayside.
Whether it is lack of effort or skill in cooking meals or just the preference of buying prepared foods, students gain weight quickly as they focus on their first year of college. Many students experience a transition from home cooked meals to fending for themselves.
This situation results in fast food, irregular eating habits, imbalanced diets, poor nutrition, and of course, weight-gain.
Luckily, UH has opportunities to help beat the customary freshman weight-gain directly and indirectly. Our campus recreation center is impressive and has many things to offer for students who are health conscious or just looking to stay fit.
The Campus Recreation and Wellness Center (CRWC) has a full list of classes free of charge. Students only need to show their Cougar 1Card to access them. Classes range from kickboxing to indoor cycling, and water aerobics to Latin dance classes. Some of these classes have beginner and advanced levels and run Monday through Saturday.
If classes are not a student’s style, the CRWC also has a gym and indoor track beyond comparison to any private-membership gym. The hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Friday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday noon to 11:30 p.m. A student could easily exhaust his or her energy reserve with the numerous activities and exercises available.
UH’s indoor rock wall is a unique and fantastic way to burn calories and stay fit. The wall’s hours of operation are 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays, and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. The wall is free of charge and climbing gear is provided.
Aside from the myriad options for fantastic exercise, our campus is home to some healthy dining options as well. The UC is home to healthy options like AFC Sushi and Subway as well as a few other healthy eateries.
The UC Satellite has a Smoothie King and Montague Deli, along with other establishments such as Kim Son and Cranberry Farms.
Just about every major building on campus has some form of healthy and delicious food. Granted, while any of the above eateries can cook up something healthy, they can just as easily cook up something to pack on pounds.
The battle of staying healthy and happy during the freshman year is a battle that requires more effort on the part of the student than any other factor. The ingredients to a healthy diet and active lifestyle couldn’t be more abundant. All it takes is that first step, and a little self-control.
Andrew Taylor is an economics junior and may be reached at [email protected].
